The present invention relates to the manufacture of objects. More particularly, the invention provides a technique including a device for planarizing a film of material of an article such as a semiconductor wafer. However, it will be recognized that the invention has a wider range of applicability; it can also be applied to flat panel displays, hard disks, raw wafers, MEMS wafers, and other objects that require a high degree of planarity.
The fabrication of integrated circuit devices often begins by producing semiconductor wafers cut from an ingot of single crystal silicon which is formed by pulling a seed from a silicon melt rotating in a crucible. The ingot is then sliced into individual wafers using a diamond cutting blade. Following the cutting operation, at least one surface (process surface) of the wafer is polished to a relatively flat, scratch-free surface. The polished surface area of the wafer is first subdivided into a plurality of die locations at which integrated circuits (IC) are subsequently formed. A series of wafer masking and processing steps are used to fabricate each IC. Thereafter, the individual dice are cut or scribed from the wafer and individually packaged and tested to complete the device manufacture process.
During IC manufacturing, the various masking and processing steps typically result in the formation of topographical irregularities on the wafer surface. For example, topographical surface irregularities are created after metallization, which includes a sequence of blanketing the wafer surface with a conductive metal layer and then etching away unwanted portions of the blanket metal layer to form a metallization interconnect pattern on each IC. This problem is exacerbated by the use of multilevel interconnects.
A common surface irregularity in a semiconductor wafer is known as a step. A step is the resulting height differential between the metal interconnect and the wafer surface where the metal has been removed. A typical VLSI chip on which a first metallization layer has been defined may contain several million steps, and the whole wafer may contain several hundred ICs.
Consequently, maintaining wafer surface planarity during fabrication is important. Photolithographic processes are typically pushed close to the limit of resolution in order to create maximum circuit density. Typical device geometries call for line widths on the order of 0.5 xcexcM. Since these geometries are photolithographically produced, it is important that the wafer surface be highly planar in order to accurately focus the illumination radiation at a single plane of focus to achieve precise imaging over the entire surface of the wafer. A wafer surface that is not sufficiently planar, will result in structures that are poorly defined, with the circuits either being nonfunctional or, at best, exhibiting less than optimum performance. To alleviate these problems, the wafer is xe2x80x9cplanarizedxe2x80x9d at various points in the process to minimize non-planar topography and its adverse effects. As additional levels are added to multilevel-interconnection schemes and circuit features are scaled to submicron dimensions, the required degree of planarization increases. As circuit dimensions are reduced, interconnect levels must be globally planarized to produce a reliable, high density device. Planarization can be implemented in either the conductor or the dielectric layers.
In order to achieve the degree of planarity required to produce high density integrated circuits, chemical-mechanical planarization processes (xe2x80x9cCMPxe2x80x9d) are being employed with increasing frequency. A conventional rotational CMP apparatus includes a wafer carrier for holding a semiconductor wafer. A soft, resilient pad is typically placed between the wafer carrier and the wafer, and the wafer is generally held against the resilient pad by a partial vacuum. The wafer carrier is designed to be continuously rotated by a drive motor. In addition, the wafer carrier typically is also designed for transverse movement. The rotational and transverse movement is intended to reduce variability in material removal rates over the surface of the wafer. The apparatus further includes a rotating platen on which is mounted a polishing pad. The platen is relatively large in comparison to the wafer, so that during the CMP process, the wafer may be moved across the surface of the polishing pad by the wafer carrier. A polishing slurry containing chemically-reactive solution, in which are suspended abrasive particles, is deposited through a supply tube onto the surface of the polishing pad.
CMP is advantageous because it can be performed efficiently, in contrast to past planarization techniques which are complex, involving multiple steps. Moreover, CMP has been demonstrated to maintain high material removal rates of high surface features and low removal rates of low surface features, thus allowing for uniform planarization. CMP can also be used to remove different layers of material and various surface defects. CMP thus can improve the quality and reliability of the ICs formed on the wafer.
Many other limitations, however, exist with CMP. Specifically, CMP often involves a large polishing pad, which uses a large quantity of slurry material. The large polishing pad is often difficult to control and requires expensive and difficult to control slurries. Additionally, the large polishing pad is often difficult to remove and replace. The large pad is also expensive and consumes a large foot print in the fabrication facility. These and other limitations still exist with CMP and the like.
What is needed is an improvement of the CMP technique to improve the degree of global planarity that can be achieved using CMP.
According to specific embodiments of the present invention, a technique including an apparatus for chemical mechanical planarization of objects is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an apparatus, which allows the polishing pad to be easily replaced. The apparatus includes a smaller polishing pad, relative to the size of the object being polished.
In a specific embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus for chemical mechanical planarization. The apparatus has a platen assembly for holding an object (e.g., wafer, disk, flat panel, glass) to be planarized. The apparatus also has a polishing head coupled to a polishing pad, which has a smaller diameter than the object. The polishing head is movable (e.g., pivotable, rotatable, translational) from a first region overlying the platen assembly to a second region, which is outside the first region. A removable puck is coupled between the polishing pad and the polishing head. The removable puck is removably coupled to a coupling on the polishing head. The apparatus also has a first magazine disposed in the second region. The first magazine houses at least one puck comprising a first polishing pad to be placed on the coupling on the polishing head. In a specific embodiment, the magazine houses a polishing pad or a plurality of them to be used to replace a used, worn, or faulty polishing pad in an improved manner.
An aspect of the present invention is directed to a system for providing a polishing pad for chemical mechanical planarization of an object larger in diameter than the polishing pad. The system comprises a magazine including a bottom for exposing at least a portion of a puck which holds a polishing pad, and a transfer apparatus for transferring the puck from the magazine in the first region to a pickup stand in a second region. The transfer apparatus includes a puck support being movable to retrieve the puck from the bottom of the magazine by coupling a capture portion of the puck support with an exposed portion of the puck and moving the puck with the puck support away from the magazine.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a system is provided for retrieving a puck from a magazine including a bottom for exposing at least a portion of the puck which holds a polishing pad to be used for chemical mechanical planarization of an object larger in diameter than the polishing pad. The system comprises a transfer apparatus for transferring the puck from the magazine in the first region to a pickup stand in a second region. The transfer apparatus includes a puck support being movable to retrieve the puck from the bottom of the magazine by coupling a capture portion of the puck support with an exposed portion of the puck and moving the puck with the puck support away from the magazine. The puck support comprises a support surface for supporting a bottom surface of the exposed puck. The capture portion of the puck support comprises a rear projection for contacting a rear edge of the exposed puck to slide the exposed puck out of the bottom of the magazine as the puck support moves in a forward direction across the bottom of the magazine.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method for providing a polishing pad for chemical mechanical planarization of an object comprises providing at least one puck in a magazine having a bottom which exposes at least a portion of a puck. A puck support is placed below the exposed puck, and a capture portion of the puck support is coupled with the exposed portion of the exposed puck. The exposed puck is moved out of the magazine onto the puck support with the capture portion.
Numerous benefits are achieved by way of the present invention over other techniques. In some embodiments, the present invention provides an improved way to attach and remove the polishing pad. Additionally, specific embodiments of the invention provide an improved technique for the manufacture of objects. In other embodiments, the invention provides an easy way to replace used or worn or faulty polishing pads. Depending upon the embodiment, one or more of these benefits may exist. These and others will be described in more detail throughout the present specification and more particularly below.
Embodiments of the present invention achieves these benefits in the context of known process technology and known techniques in the mechanical arts. However, a further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the latter portions of the specification and attached drawings.